Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) plans to sharply increase production and employment levels at its Mt Holly NC and Portland OR truck manufacturing plants during the last half of 2011.
Production and hiring will also increase significantly at the company's Saltillo plant in Mexico. More than 1,230 new employees will be added to the company's manufacturing and administrative payroll in these three locations to accommodate customer demand for the company's Freightliner and Western Star trucks. In addition, more than 120 shop and staff employees will be added at the company's Gastonia NC parts manufacturing plant. Company officials confirmed that these hiring plans are in addition to the more than 1,300 positions filled in the company's truck and parts facilities during the first half of 2011.
The Mt Holly Truck Manufacturing Plant will add a second shift to its operations and plans to fill an additional 535 manufacturing and 37 related administrative positions by September. This plant manufactures Freightliner M2 Business Class medium-duty, hybrid, and natural gas trucks, as well as Freightliner's new line of 108SD and 114SD trucks for the severe-duty vocational truck markets.
The Portland Truck Manufacturing Plant plans to fill an additional 155 manufacturing positions between September and the end of 2011. This plant manufactures Western Star trucks including the 4800, 4900, and 6900 product lines, as well as pre-series versions of the new 4700 line beginning later in 2011. The Portland plant also manufactures Freightliner-branded military vehicles for use worldwide.
The Saltillo Truck Manufacturing Plant in the state of Coahuila, Mexico, plans to add a third shift and 479 manufacturing workers beginning in June. A total of 32 staff positions will also be filled at the plant. The Saltillo plant manufactures Freightliner Cascadia model trucks for the US, Canadian, and Mexican markets.
The Gastonia Parts Manufacturing Plant will add 121 manufacturing workers and three administrative positions by early in the fourth quarter of 2011. This plant manufactures specialized parts and components for all the company's commercial vehicle products, supplying every DTNA facility in the United States and Mexico, as well as parts distribution centers in support of the worldwide Freightliner and Western Star dealer network.
Company officials also noted that employment at its Cleveland Truck Manufacturing Plant in Cleveland NC expanded in 2010 and jumped again in May, as part of the 1,300-position expansion in the DTNA manufacturing network announced earlier in 2011. The most recent announcement includes 10 additional shop positions at the Cleveland plant expected to be filled by the end of July.